Tomatoes

Have you planted your tomatoes already? If not, it isn't too late to do so. First, find good tomato plants. Look at the thickness and color of the stem. You want a nice, sturdy stem with a good green color. Since it is nearly July already, you may want to find a plant with fruit already on it, or at least flowers. For the best result, plant your new plants in large patio pots that get at least a little more than half a day of sun. You can use a decorative patio pot, a self watering pot or some people even use 5 gallon pails with drainage holes drilled in the bottom which will work in a pinch. You need to make sure there is plenty of room for the roots to grow however so no container less than a 5 gallon pail size is recommended. Fill your planter up with a good planting medium. You can amend the soil with some organic Plant Tone if you have some at hand. Remove your plant from its little pot and carefully tease, or muss up the roots. This will give them the idea to spread out instead of continuing to grow in a circle or square. Remove any foliage from the bottom 5 inches of stem. Place the plant in the new patio pot so that its stem is buried about 5 inches deep . This will help the tomato to put out more roots and encourage a stronger, sturdier plant. Water your plant in thoroughly. Place a thin layer of mulch over the soil leaving a little room around the stem of the plant. That will help conserve water and keep the newly planted roots from getting too hot. Be sure to provide a good support system for your plants and fertilize them every other week. By following these guidelines, you should have big juicy tomatoes before the kids go back to school for sure!